[Homebrew Series 1] What Is Homebrew?

Why Mac beginners get stuck

When you buy a new Mac and start learning to code, one of the first questions is often, "Where do I download Python?" Visiting vendor sites one by one works at first, but it quickly turns into a confusing setup process.

Homebrew is a package manager for macOS. In plain terms, it gives you one consistent way to install, update, and remove developer tools from Terminal instead of hunting down separate installers for each app.

What We’ll Do

Look at what goes wrong when you install software straight from each website
Compare the same steps with Homebrew
Decide whether Homebrew fits your situation

Why This Tool Matters

Pain Points of the Traditional Route

Most people install software this way:

Search Google for “python download”
Open python.org
Download the macOS installer
Double-click the installer
Wonder, “Is it actually installed?”

This is where problems creep in.

When you type a command in Terminal, your Mac searches a list of folders for that program. That list is called your PATH. If the installer puts Python somewhere your shell is not checking first, Terminal may keep using a different copy.

Problems With the Traditional Route zsh · ~/workspace

Ready. Press Replay to run the scripted session.

What just happened?

You may now have more than one Python on the same Mac.
Terminal is still finding /usr/bin/python3 first.
The version you just installed is not the one your current shell is using.

Now you have to inspect paths, figure out which copy of Python is active, and fix the mismatch yourself.

When You Install Several Apps

Now repeat that process for Git, Node.js, VS Code, Chrome, and Docker.

App	Installation Route	What you still have to check
Git	Download installer from git-scm.com	Does `git --version` work in Terminal?
Node.js	Download installer from nodejs.org	Does `node --version` point to the version you expect?
VS Code	Download zip from code.visualstudio.com	Is the app installed, and do you also want the `code` command?
Chrome	Download dmg from google.com/chrome	Is the app installed and updating the way you want?
Docker	Download dmg from docker.com	Is Docker Desktop installed and are helper tools available?

Repeating chore: visit a site -> download -> install -> open Terminal -> verify what actually changed.

When updates arrive? Each tool can have a different process, depending on whether it is a CLI tool, a desktop app, or an app with its own auto-updater.

When you want to uninstall? The main app may be easy to remove, but settings, caches, and helper files can still be scattered around your Mac.

Experience the Difference

Homebrew Workflow

Homebrew Workflow zsh · ~/workspace

Ready. Press Replay to run the scripted session.

Why is it this easy?

Homebrew gives you one predictable workflow:

Downloads the package for you
Installs it in the Homebrew location
Links the command into a standard place
Pulls in dependencies when needed
Lets you update or remove it later with the same tool

Homebrew still needs a small shell setup step on some Macs, especially Apple Silicon models. The next post covers that part directly.

Install Several Tools at Once

Homebrew manages both command-line tools and many Mac apps, but it uses slightly different commands:

# Command-line tools
brew install git node python

# Mac apps
brew install --cask visual-studio-code google-chrome docker

That consistency is the real win: one tool, similar commands, and fewer surprises.

What Changes When You Use Homebrew

Item	Website Downloads	Homebrew
Installation flow	Different for every site	One command style
Command availability	May need extra checking	More predictable once Homebrew is configured
Updates	Varies by tool	Often handled with `brew upgrade`
Removal	Often manual and inconsistent	Removes the Homebrew-managed package cleanly
Reinstall	Repeat the setup process	Can be scripted later with a Brewfile

Bottom line: For many macOS developers, Homebrew is the default way to manage local tools.

Who Should Prioritize It

Mac users starting development for the first time
Learners installing tools like Python, Git, or Node.js
People who frequently migrate to a new Mac
Anyone who wants a repeatable setup process

Quick Reference

Situation	Use Homebrew	Notes
Install Python	`brew install python`	Good for one consistent system-wide install
Remove a program	`brew uninstall <name>`	Removes the Homebrew-managed package
Update installed packages	`brew upgrade`	Useful when the tool was installed with Homebrew
Rebuild a setup later	`brew bundle dump`	Saves installed packages into a Brewfile

If something goes wrong:

If you already installed Python from a website, reinstall via Homebrew and treat that as your source of truth.
If python, python3, and version-specific commands point to different binaries, pick one install method as your baseline and remove extra copies gradually.
If you need to switch Python or Node.js versions per project, Homebrew helps with installation, but dedicated version managers are often a better fit later.

What’s Next

Now that you know why Homebrew matters, let's actually install it.

Homebrew Series 2: Installation and Terminal Setup walks through opening Terminal, installing Homebrew, and doing the one shell setup step it needs.

Practice Checklist

Open Terminal (Command + Space -> terminal)
Run which python3
Run python3 --version
Compare the path and version together
- /usr/bin/python3 -> Apple-provided or system-managed copy
- /opt/homebrew/bin/python3 -> Homebrew Python on Apple Silicon
- /usr/local/bin/python3 -> Homebrew Python on Intel or another user-installed copy
- not found -> Python is not available as python3 in your current shell
Understand the main problem: manual installs can leave you guessing which copy Terminal is using